timvp
12-07-2008, 08:32 AM
Following their blowout victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, the San Antonio Spurs hoped to extend their winning ways on Saturday in the AT&T Center. With a 123-88 win against the Golden State Warriors, the Spurs easily accomplished their goal.
The key to the game for the Spurs was that the players showed up to the arena on time. Shortly after the jump ball was tossed into the air, the game was over. San Antonio led by 16 points at the half and by 37 going into the final stanza. Twelve minutes of garbage time later, the Spurs could officially chalk up the W.
The Warriors, to put it bluntly, were absolutely horrible. Their defense was about as bad as defense has ever been played on the NBA level. Golden State’s offense consisted of five ball hogs all looking for their own shot. The fact that the Warriors are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak is no surprise and the reasons are plain to see.
Overall, the only thing the Spurs can really take from this game is their defense. Holding the high-scoring Warriors to 88 is a good feat, especially considering the fast pace of the game. Offensively, a team of five Jacque Vaughns could put up 100 points against the Warriors right now, so the 123 actually wasn’t overly impressive.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
20 minutes, 20 points, 13 rebounds, five assists
7-for-10 from the field, 6-for-9 at the line
Talk about stunning efficiency. Tim Duncan put up one of the best stat lines you’ll ever see for a player who only played 20 minutes. On offense, he scored with ease – whether in a pick-and-roll or in an isolation play. He dominated the smallish Warriors on the glass and he got most of his assists by finding wide open teammates. On defense, he did a great job hustling back in the transition and not giving up any easy buckets. After going six straight games without registering an outing with at least 20 points and at least 10 rebounds, Duncan has now had three straight 20-10 games.
-------------------------------
Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
22 minutes, nine points, seven assists, three rebounds
3-for-7 from the field, 1-for-5 on three-pointers
Manu Ginobili had a relatively easy night. He basically either handed out an assist or shot a three-pointer. With all the holes in Golden State’s defense, Ginobili had no problems racking up as many assists as he wanted. Physically, he looked to be moving well – which is especially good to see since he’s coming off of his first 30-minute game of the season. His ankle injury last year in the playoffs robbed him of his ability to finish the ball and this year so far he’s hitting more than 80% of his shots at or near the rim, so things are looking good as far as his recovery is concerned.
-------------------------------
Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
20 minutes, 17 points, eight assists
8-for-14 from the field, 1-for-1 on three-pointers
Like Duncan, Parker got a full night’s worth of work in despite only playing 20 minutes. A game after having seven turnovers, Parker bounced back with a zero turnover performance. On the whole, Parker was aggressive and shredded Golden State. He got the Spurs off to a good start and the team never looked back. Parker had a few impressive moves in the paint that suggest he’s nearing 100% health following his ankle sprain.
-------------------------------
Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
21 minutes, 17 points, three rebounds
7-for-10 from the field, 3-for-4 on three-pointers
Michael Finley once again played quite well in his role as the fifth option in the starting lineup. He drained the open shots he had and he even drove the lane a couple of times. Defensively he did a decent job, although he gave Stephen Jackson a few open looks early on in the game. If Finley can average double figures, the Spurs are going to actually be a good offensive team this year. The best news, however, is it appears the Spurs won’t have to depend on his offense, as has been the case in the last few seasons.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
19 minutes, 14 points, six rebounds
6-for-9 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner is starting to look like a legitimate NBA starter. His chemistry with the Big Three is improving, especially with Duncan. Bonner is moving to the open spots and being aggressive once he gets the ball. Perhaps most important of all is that Bonner is rebounding the ball. In the last three games, all of which he started, Bonner is averaging eight rebounds in 24.3 minutes per game. If he can rebound even 80% as well the rest of the way, that will be more than good enough.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
32 minutes, 10 points, five assists, three rebounds, two blocks
3-for-9 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers, 2-for-4 at the line
George Hill led the Spurs in minutes and did a respectable job all the way around. He wasn’t hitting his shots at a good clip but he passed well, fought for rebounds and even came away with two blocked shots. To be fair to his field goal percentage, a few of his looks in the fourth quarter were hurried shots at the end of the shot clock when the Spurs were salting the game away. It was far from Hill’s best game but his activity level was good and he played hard defensively.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
24 minutes, 12 points, six rebounds, two assists
3-for-5 from the field, 6-for-8 at the line
The Warriors set the stage for Fabricio Oberto’s 2008-09 coming out party. His 12 points were double his previous season-high. His eight free throw attempts matched the number of free throw attempts he had all season coming into the game. His three field goals made and three field goals attempted both matched season-highs. And perhaps best of all, Oberto’s six rebounds were the second time all season that he’s had more than five rebounds. Hopefully this outing gets Oberto rolling, however it was most likely due to the porous defense he went up against.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
20 minutes, five points, six rebounds
2-for-4 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
A game after getting a DNP due to the flu, Ime Udoka got healthy quickly against the Warriors. He was solid offensively and did a fine job on the boards. His perimeter defense even looked good – an aspect of his game that has been slow to come around this season. Udoka has been struggling to shoot this season but he seems to have found his stroke. Over his last five games, he’s shooting 57.1% from the field.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
18 minutes, 10 points, three turnovers
4-for-7 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers
The new role for Roger Mason, Jr. is to come off the bench and supply offense right away. He did just that against the Warriors, bouncing back from a poor shooting night against the Nuggets. Mason also played good defense and made a few nice passes off the dribble. The aspect Mason needs to work on the most right now is his turnovers. While his average of 1.8 per night isn’t horrible, it’s double what he averaged last season.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
18 minutes, six points, seven rebounds
3-for-6 from the field
Kurt Thomas didn’t have much meaningful playing time on the night but his per minute production was notable. His jumper is looking good and he has done a better and better job this season in regards to rebounding the ball. Overall, he’s now averaging 11.1 rebounds per 40 minutes, which is very respectable. Thomas has also hit 11 of his last 18 field goal attempts over the span of his last five games.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
13 minutes, three points
1-for-2 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Bruce Bowen did some nice work on the defensive end. Early on, whenever a player got even a little hot, Bowen took over the defensive assignment. Once the game got out of hand, Bowen got a view of the action from the bench. On the season, Bowen is now averaging only 22.7 minutes per game – easily the lowest number of minutes per game in his Spurs career. Coincidentally, he’s now averaging 22.7 minutes in the nine games he has started and 22.7 minutes in the ten games he has come off the bench.
-------------------------------
Jacque Vaughn
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3195.jpg
12 minutes, three assists
0-for-2 from the field
Jacque Vaughn directed traffic for the entire fourth quarter. The most memorable part of his play was a classic Vaughn sequence. With the Spurs up 40, Vaughn was pressuring the ball, tipped it away and then dove on the ground to try to secure the loose ball. Gotta love that type of hustle Vaughn always brings to the court – no matter the score.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
Pop might not have an easier coaching game than the one he had on Saturday night. Every play he drew up worked to perfection. It didn’t matter what player rotation he used because the Spurs were getting wide open shots regardless. The only quibble I had with Pop was the fact that he didn’t put Mason into the game until about one minute to go in the first quarter. Going forward, Mason is too important to not play sooner in the ballgame.
-------------------------------
Offense
The offensive numbers for the game look fantastic. The Spurs shot 55.3% from the floor, hit 12-of-26 three-pointers and got to the line 24 times. Most impressive, San Antonio had a season-high 35 assists on their 47 made baskets. Even though Golden State’s defense was abysmal, the Spurs got in a quality practice that could hopefully pay off some chemistry and ball movement dividends down the road.
Defense
The defense was the most impressive part of the night for the Spurs. They held the Warriors to 37.3% shooting from the field and allowed them to fire only ten three-pointers. The only reason the Warriors scored as much as they did was due to their 28 free throw attempts. While that number is high, it’s less than the 31 free throw attempts the Warriors average. Rebounding-wise, the Spurs once again outrebounded their opponent – this time racking up a season-high 50 boards compared to 43 for Golden State.
Drive to Five
Although that was a fun win, the Spurs need to forget about the Warriors game ASAP. They aren’t going to play a team that bad defensively for the rest of the season. However, it might be a good idea to steal the Warriors uniforms for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. A win on the road against Dallas, a team that has won nine of their last ten games, would verify that the Spurs are on the right path.
Believe.
The key to the game for the Spurs was that the players showed up to the arena on time. Shortly after the jump ball was tossed into the air, the game was over. San Antonio led by 16 points at the half and by 37 going into the final stanza. Twelve minutes of garbage time later, the Spurs could officially chalk up the W.
The Warriors, to put it bluntly, were absolutely horrible. Their defense was about as bad as defense has ever been played on the NBA level. Golden State’s offense consisted of five ball hogs all looking for their own shot. The fact that the Warriors are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak is no surprise and the reasons are plain to see.
Overall, the only thing the Spurs can really take from this game is their defense. Holding the high-scoring Warriors to 88 is a good feat, especially considering the fast pace of the game. Offensively, a team of five Jacque Vaughns could put up 100 points against the Warriors right now, so the 123 actually wasn’t overly impressive.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
20 minutes, 20 points, 13 rebounds, five assists
7-for-10 from the field, 6-for-9 at the line
Talk about stunning efficiency. Tim Duncan put up one of the best stat lines you’ll ever see for a player who only played 20 minutes. On offense, he scored with ease – whether in a pick-and-roll or in an isolation play. He dominated the smallish Warriors on the glass and he got most of his assists by finding wide open teammates. On defense, he did a great job hustling back in the transition and not giving up any easy buckets. After going six straight games without registering an outing with at least 20 points and at least 10 rebounds, Duncan has now had three straight 20-10 games.
-------------------------------
Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
22 minutes, nine points, seven assists, three rebounds
3-for-7 from the field, 1-for-5 on three-pointers
Manu Ginobili had a relatively easy night. He basically either handed out an assist or shot a three-pointer. With all the holes in Golden State’s defense, Ginobili had no problems racking up as many assists as he wanted. Physically, he looked to be moving well – which is especially good to see since he’s coming off of his first 30-minute game of the season. His ankle injury last year in the playoffs robbed him of his ability to finish the ball and this year so far he’s hitting more than 80% of his shots at or near the rim, so things are looking good as far as his recovery is concerned.
-------------------------------
Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
20 minutes, 17 points, eight assists
8-for-14 from the field, 1-for-1 on three-pointers
Like Duncan, Parker got a full night’s worth of work in despite only playing 20 minutes. A game after having seven turnovers, Parker bounced back with a zero turnover performance. On the whole, Parker was aggressive and shredded Golden State. He got the Spurs off to a good start and the team never looked back. Parker had a few impressive moves in the paint that suggest he’s nearing 100% health following his ankle sprain.
-------------------------------
Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
21 minutes, 17 points, three rebounds
7-for-10 from the field, 3-for-4 on three-pointers
Michael Finley once again played quite well in his role as the fifth option in the starting lineup. He drained the open shots he had and he even drove the lane a couple of times. Defensively he did a decent job, although he gave Stephen Jackson a few open looks early on in the game. If Finley can average double figures, the Spurs are going to actually be a good offensive team this year. The best news, however, is it appears the Spurs won’t have to depend on his offense, as has been the case in the last few seasons.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
19 minutes, 14 points, six rebounds
6-for-9 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers
Matt Bonner is starting to look like a legitimate NBA starter. His chemistry with the Big Three is improving, especially with Duncan. Bonner is moving to the open spots and being aggressive once he gets the ball. Perhaps most important of all is that Bonner is rebounding the ball. In the last three games, all of which he started, Bonner is averaging eight rebounds in 24.3 minutes per game. If he can rebound even 80% as well the rest of the way, that will be more than good enough.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
32 minutes, 10 points, five assists, three rebounds, two blocks
3-for-9 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers, 2-for-4 at the line
George Hill led the Spurs in minutes and did a respectable job all the way around. He wasn’t hitting his shots at a good clip but he passed well, fought for rebounds and even came away with two blocked shots. To be fair to his field goal percentage, a few of his looks in the fourth quarter were hurried shots at the end of the shot clock when the Spurs were salting the game away. It was far from Hill’s best game but his activity level was good and he played hard defensively.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
24 minutes, 12 points, six rebounds, two assists
3-for-5 from the field, 6-for-8 at the line
The Warriors set the stage for Fabricio Oberto’s 2008-09 coming out party. His 12 points were double his previous season-high. His eight free throw attempts matched the number of free throw attempts he had all season coming into the game. His three field goals made and three field goals attempted both matched season-highs. And perhaps best of all, Oberto’s six rebounds were the second time all season that he’s had more than five rebounds. Hopefully this outing gets Oberto rolling, however it was most likely due to the porous defense he went up against.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
20 minutes, five points, six rebounds
2-for-4 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
A game after getting a DNP due to the flu, Ime Udoka got healthy quickly against the Warriors. He was solid offensively and did a fine job on the boards. His perimeter defense even looked good – an aspect of his game that has been slow to come around this season. Udoka has been struggling to shoot this season but he seems to have found his stroke. Over his last five games, he’s shooting 57.1% from the field.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
18 minutes, 10 points, three turnovers
4-for-7 from the field, 2-for-4 on three-pointers
The new role for Roger Mason, Jr. is to come off the bench and supply offense right away. He did just that against the Warriors, bouncing back from a poor shooting night against the Nuggets. Mason also played good defense and made a few nice passes off the dribble. The aspect Mason needs to work on the most right now is his turnovers. While his average of 1.8 per night isn’t horrible, it’s double what he averaged last season.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
18 minutes, six points, seven rebounds
3-for-6 from the field
Kurt Thomas didn’t have much meaningful playing time on the night but his per minute production was notable. His jumper is looking good and he has done a better and better job this season in regards to rebounding the ball. Overall, he’s now averaging 11.1 rebounds per 40 minutes, which is very respectable. Thomas has also hit 11 of his last 18 field goal attempts over the span of his last five games.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
13 minutes, three points
1-for-2 from the field, 1-for-2 on three-pointers
Bruce Bowen did some nice work on the defensive end. Early on, whenever a player got even a little hot, Bowen took over the defensive assignment. Once the game got out of hand, Bowen got a view of the action from the bench. On the season, Bowen is now averaging only 22.7 minutes per game – easily the lowest number of minutes per game in his Spurs career. Coincidentally, he’s now averaging 22.7 minutes in the nine games he has started and 22.7 minutes in the ten games he has come off the bench.
-------------------------------
Jacque Vaughn
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3195.jpg
12 minutes, three assists
0-for-2 from the field
Jacque Vaughn directed traffic for the entire fourth quarter. The most memorable part of his play was a classic Vaughn sequence. With the Spurs up 40, Vaughn was pressuring the ball, tipped it away and then dove on the ground to try to secure the loose ball. Gotta love that type of hustle Vaughn always brings to the court – no matter the score.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
Pop might not have an easier coaching game than the one he had on Saturday night. Every play he drew up worked to perfection. It didn’t matter what player rotation he used because the Spurs were getting wide open shots regardless. The only quibble I had with Pop was the fact that he didn’t put Mason into the game until about one minute to go in the first quarter. Going forward, Mason is too important to not play sooner in the ballgame.
-------------------------------
Offense
The offensive numbers for the game look fantastic. The Spurs shot 55.3% from the floor, hit 12-of-26 three-pointers and got to the line 24 times. Most impressive, San Antonio had a season-high 35 assists on their 47 made baskets. Even though Golden State’s defense was abysmal, the Spurs got in a quality practice that could hopefully pay off some chemistry and ball movement dividends down the road.
Defense
The defense was the most impressive part of the night for the Spurs. They held the Warriors to 37.3% shooting from the field and allowed them to fire only ten three-pointers. The only reason the Warriors scored as much as they did was due to their 28 free throw attempts. While that number is high, it’s less than the 31 free throw attempts the Warriors average. Rebounding-wise, the Spurs once again outrebounded their opponent – this time racking up a season-high 50 boards compared to 43 for Golden State.
Drive to Five
Although that was a fun win, the Spurs need to forget about the Warriors game ASAP. They aren’t going to play a team that bad defensively for the rest of the season. However, it might be a good idea to steal the Warriors uniforms for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. A win on the road against Dallas, a team that has won nine of their last ten games, would verify that the Spurs are on the right path.
Believe.